Political Crisis Deepens in France After Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's Sudden Resignation
The sudden resignation of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has intensified France's political turmoil, with widespread calls for President Macron's resignation and fears of government collapse.
- • Sébastien Lecornu resigned less than a month after appointment, before his first ministerial council.
- • President Macron's dissolution of the National Assembly in June 2024 set the stage for ongoing instability.
- • Calls for Macron's resignation have increased from multiple political parties, including Les Républicains and Normandy's Hervé Morin.
- • Rassemblement National pushes for National Assembly dissolution, expecting electoral advantage.
- • Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s LFI party seeks immediate impeachment proceedings against Macron.
Key details
Sébastien Lecornu's unexpected resignation as Prime Minister of France has ignited a political storm, exposing deep fractures across the country's political spectrum and provoking calls for President Emmanuel Macron's resignation. Lecornu stepped down less than a month into office and even before holding his first ministerial council, marking an unprecedented political crisis in the Fifth Republic since its inception in 1958.
The resignation follows a year of turmoil beginning with President Macron's controversial dissolution of the National Assembly in June 2024. This historic move set the stage for escalating political instability, now exemplified by Lecornu's abrupt departure.
The political fallout has been immediate and varied. Hervé Morin, President of the Normandy region, criticized the government's composition as "insulting" and urged Macron to resign to allow new presidential elections. David Lisnard, vice-president of Les Républicains, echoed this sentiment, asserting that Macron should step down for the "interest of France" and to alleviate the ongoing deadlock. Former LR leader Jean-François Copé has also lent support to these calls.
Meanwhile, the Rassemblement National, led by Jordan Bardella, continues to advocate for the dissolution of the National Assembly, anticipating electoral gains. Marine Le Pen described Macron's potential resignation as "wise." On the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and France Insoumise are pushing for immediate consideration of a motion to impeach Macron, linking current governmental instability to previous refusals to appoint a prime minister from the Nouveau Front Populaire.
International reactions mirror domestic astonishment. The German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung highlighted the unprecedented nature of the political disorder, while Spain’s El País expressed serious concern over the rapid political unraveling.
This political crisis reflects not only a leadership vacuum within the government but also profound divisions threatening France's institutional stability. As calls for no-confidence motions, resignations, and dissolutions proliferate, France faces uncertain political terrain in the coming months.